How can I help my high-strung dog transition to a noisy new place?

June 27, 2010 8:03 AM

How can I help my 4-year-old Mini Schnauzer transition from living in a quiet apartment complex in New Jersey to a much louder building in Denver?

Violet and I are moving to Denver in about a week, and I'm nervous about how she'll handle it. In particular, she has lived her whole life in the apartment building we're in now, which is small and quiet. There's only one other apartment on our floor (we're on the top floor), and when she hears people in the hallway, she tends to growl and sometimes runs to the door to sniff and growl some more. Sometimes she barks over it. It hasn't really been an issue because we so rarely hear people coming and going.

However, we're moving to a much bigger apartment complex in Denver. We'll be on the second floor, so there will actually be neighbors living above, below, and to either side of us, and it's a huge complex, so there will be lots of foot traffic in the hall. How can I help her transition and deal with lots of new noises when we're in our new home? How can I help her handle being alone in the new place?

My plans so far include making sure she gets lots more exercise, and spending more time with her in the apartment and slowly ease into her being by herself. I have a box I sent ahead to the place with some of her toys and a pet bed that smell like her so she recognizes the smell of the place as soon as we arrive. I am thinking of leaving her in the bathroom (which is significantly bigger than a normal bathroom because it is attached to the closet/laundry area) when I go out, maybe with an exhaust fan on just to minimize outside noises. Do you have any other ideas for how to help her deal with this change with minimal stress?

posted by violetish to Pets & Animals (4 answers total)

Best answer: Well, dearie, I earnestly appreciate your concern for your pup but let me start by saying that she will be fine regardless. She may be a bit growly or bark from time to time, but I sincerely doubt she'll be genuinely traumatized by the shift. I've had lots of pets and they've moved with me quite frequently. As long as I'm there with my stuff and their toys are there they are pretty okay. Do spend some extra snuggle time with her the first little while, especially during the noisiest times. Also getting a special toy for her might help with the transition. Introduce it to her a day or so before the move and make sure it's in her crate with her, in the bathroom with her, etc. I wouldn't suggest you start locking her in the bathroom, however, because that would be conditioning her to stay in the bathroom, not to deal with the noise. One you start a habit like that they can be hard to break. Another thing to try would be walking your pup up and down the hall during busy times, letting her meet your neighbors and get acquainted to their smells and noises, and seeing that there's nothing scary in the hall. She'll get used to it. If you're really struggling, try staying at home during heavy foot traffic with a pack of dog treats and a clicker (you can buy these at petsmart). Whenever she starts to get panicky by the door, click the clicker and take her away from the door. Put her on her bed (or someplace nice and soft and comforting) and give her a treat. If you do this enough you should be able to reduce it just to the clicker when she panics, and then eventually she will perhaps just stay on her bed.

Just some thoughts for you. I'm no expert, but I've had to train many of my pets in the past (including cats, believe it or not) and these are some suggestions from what I have learned.
posted by wild like kudzu at 8:44 AM on June 27, 2010

Radio is a great calmer for many dogs and some are even fussy about the station. My pup relaxes to the sweet soul sounds of 107.5 WBLS in NYC, other dogs I look after prefer the mellifluous talking on NPR. Basically a consistent sound source featuring humans will make the outside noises less noticeable and jarring to your pup.
posted by merocet at 10:16 AM on June 27, 2010

Best answer: It may be safer for both Violet and your bathroom to go with a crate instead of locking her in the bathroom. If she does become anxious, she is less likely to be able to injure herself (and your bathroom) if she is in a crate. A white noise machine might help, but you want her to get used to the new noises, not drown them out, so be mindful of how much you use it.

I suspect that she will adjust easily and that you will have an easier time than you fear. She will not yet feel protective of the new space, so take advantage of that window to expose her to as many new noises in the home as possible. While it is tempting to make it serene and quiet for her to minimize stress, she is going to eventually have to deal with the reality of living in a new space, it is better that she only has to adjust once.

Many people swear by the DAP (dog appeasing pheromone) diffusers, but I don't have any personal experience with them.

Good Luck!
posted by Nickel Pickle at 8:03 PM on June 27, 2010

Response by poster: Thanks!!! I will definitely rethink the bathroom idea, and I love the idea of taking Violet into the hall to show her what's going on and that it's not scary.
posted by violetish at 2:00 PM on June 29, 2010